Special Coverage

Winter View brings win streak to Dick

Horseplayers who value good recent form and high class will key on Winter View, a 5-year-old mare who comes into Saturday's Grade 3 Robert Dick Memorial Handicap at Delaware Park off back-to-back victories in Grade 3 stakes. Those with an appreciation of history, however, will gravitate to the Graham Motion-trained Caprice.

The 1 3/8-mile Dick is among four stakes - three for Thoroughbreds and one for Arabians - on a 10-race card headed by the Grade 2, $250,000 Delaware Oaks.

It's difficult to knock Winter View, who has put together a three-race winning streak, capped off by scores in the 1 1/2-mile Bewitch at Keeneland and the nine-furlong All Along at Colonial Downs three weeks ago.

She also comes from the barn of Hall of Fame trainer Jonathan Sheppard, who upset last year's Dick with Palmilla.

But nobody has a better knack for winning the Dick than Motion, who has won this stakes for fillies and mares five times since 1999, including three in a row from 2002 to 2004. He also was second with Sweet Science in 2005 and third last year with 1-5 favorite Rosinka, who was foiled in her bid to win back-to-back runnings.

This time, he's taking a shot with Caprice, a 6-year-old German-bred who has been freshened since finishing third in the Grade 2 Sheepshead Bay at Belmont in late May.

"Having the success I have enjoyed in this race draws me to it somewhat," Motion said. "But the reason we have done so well in this race over the years is probably because we have the type of horses that fit this category, and this mare fits right in that mold."

In the 1 3/8-mile Sheepshead Bay, Caprice came home her final three furlongs in an excellent 34.47 seconds. She was previously fourth, beaten 2 1/4 lengths by Winter View, in the Bewitch.

"She is doing great," Motion said of Caprice, whose only win in 10 starts since coming to the United States last year came in a minor stakes at Santa Anita in February. "I have had this race in mind ever since her last race, which has given us the opportunity to give her a little freshening."

Others who merit respect include the Bill Mott-trained Dress Rehearsal, who was second in the Grade 3 The Very One at Gulfstream and third after setting the pace in the Bewitch; Astrologie, who gets to run at a longer distance that she prefers after a troubled trip in the perhaps too short All Along; and Dyna's Lassie, who passed two horses and gained nearly three lengths in the stretch run of the All Along.

Carpenter: Researcher looks sharp

Researcher, who has posted triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures in five of his last seven races dating back to October, and the long-absent Good and Lucky look like prime contenders in the $100,000 R.R.M. Carpenter Memorial at 1 1/16 miles.

Researcher, based at Charles Town with trainer Jeff Runco, most recently was in contention until the late stages of the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs.

Good and Lucky, based at Churchill with trainer Josie Carroll, was second in the Grade 3 Mineshaft at Fair Grounds in early February, but has been off since backing up to finish last of 11 in the Grade 2 New Orleans Handicap on March 14.

* Dixies Valentine, a 20-length winner of a Grade 1 stakes at odds of 1-20 last time out, looks formidable in the first running of the $30,000 Delaware Park Arabian Distaff Handicap for Arabian fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles.